


As Days Go By

by OreoLuvr13



Series: Sibling Love [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Ned Leeds is a Good Bro, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Sibling Love, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Lives, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2020-03-20 11:06:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18991420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OreoLuvr13/pseuds/OreoLuvr13
Summary: Peter forgets about an anniversary and is left spiraling. Morgan and Tony are at a loss of how to help him.





	As Days Go By

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you, guys, for your amazing response to “Keeping Watch.” I was definitely not expecting so much love for it and it’s your overwhelming response that helped pushed me to get this out. It’s sadder than my previous story, but it definitely has some good Big Brother Peter/Sister Morgan interaction.

Peter wakes to the unmistakable feeling of being watched. He peeps open his right eye and sure enough, sees Morgan standing by his bed. He closes his eye quickly. Maybe she didn’t see and he can fall back asleep. It is Saturday after all. Maybe he can sleep in.

“I know you’re awake.”

Crap. Well, there goes that idea.

“I’ve been waiting forever for you to wake up,” Morgan says as she pulls herself onto Peter’s queen size bed.

He scoots over to give her space and looks at his watch. it’s 8:36. Morgan has no doubt been up for at least two hours. So in kid time, it has been forever.

“Come on, Petey. I’m boooored.” Morgan says as she plays with the edge of Peter’s down comforter. “Daddy’s in his lab and Mommy’s in Europe.”

“She was in Europe. Now I think she’s in Vietnam,” Peter corrects the youngster.

Morgan gives him a glare. She’s clearly not amused with him updating her on her mother’s itinerary. Peter knows exactly where Pepper is because that’s why he has been in the lake house for the last four days. Yes, Pepper and May spun the idea of him staying at the lake house as it was going to be ten days of fun for Peter, Tony, and Morgan. But Peter also has a feeling him being there has a dual purpose. Not only to have fun, but to make sure that Tony is taking it easy and that Morgan does something other than taking appliances apart and eat something other than icecream and mac and cheese.

“Come on, bug. I’m hungry. Let’s go.” Peter says standing up.

“Aren’t you the bug?” Morgan quips as she follows Peter out of the room.

“Brat,” Peter mutters.

“I heard that!” Morgan says with a giggle as they make their way to the kitchen.

“Did you eat?” Peter asks as he grabs a box of cereal out of the cabinet. He grabs just one bowl when he sees Morgan nodding her head.

“So what do you want to do?” Peter asks knowing full well what her answer will be. She’s only been talking about the Lego Disney Castle since he brought it with him when he arrived at the lake house days earlier. Up until now he’s been able to hold her off with the promise that they will do it on Saturday. Well, today is Saturday. “Want to go outside? Watch a movie? Play tea party?”

“Legos!” Morgan yells.

Peter smiles around a mouthful of Lucky Charms. Legos it is.

**XXXXX**

A couple of hours and a few hundred Legos later, Peter’s phone goes off as he and Morgan sit in the living room working their way through the vast Lego set. So engrossed in what he’s doing, he doesn’t hear it at first.

“You can answer it,” Morgan says as she searches for an elusive piece.

“Answer what?” Peter asks as he continues to work on the castle’s back wall.

“Your phone,” Morgan replies just as his phone goes off again.

“I didn’t even hear it,” Peter says honestly.

“You’re just like Daddy,” Morgan says as she fastens two Legos together.

Peter can’t help but smile at the compliment as he looks at his texts from Ned.

_Hey_

_How you doing_

Peter shakes his head at the question. Kinda random. Ned knows he’s with Mr. Stark and Morgan.

Great. Helping Morgan with that Disney Lego set I got her

 _Oh_. Then the texts is followed by a ‘That’s good’ a few seconds later.

Why is that good? Ned knows this was the plan for his trip up to the lake house. Hang with Mr. Stark. Work with him on some suit upgrades. Get his fill of cartoons and completing this Lego castle with Morgan. Why is Ned acting so strange?

“Who’s that?” Morgan asks,“MJ. Your girl friennnnd?” 

“That was Ned. And MJ’s not my girlfriend,” Peter answers quickly putting his phone away.

“Only because you don’t have the nerve to ask her out.” Morgan says not so innocently. 

“Oh yeah and who told you that?”

“Daddy says so.” 

Knowing arguing with a four year old about his nonexistent love life is a losing battle, he decides to change the subject. “Why don’t we get your Dad and have him make us some lunch? You hungry?”

Morgan nods her head, already standing up. “Let’s go.” 

And that’s why Peter loves little kids. They can jump from one subject to another without missing a beat. They make their quick trek out to the garage to find Tony hard at work on…something. He puts down a wrench when he sees them. “What’s up guys?”

“I’m hungry,” Morgan says. 

Tony picks her up and blows a raspberry on her neck. “It’s good to see you too, Squirt.”

“Stopppp, Daddy.” Morgan says through a series of giggles. “Put me down!” 

Tony does as Morgan wishes. “What time is it?” 

Peter looks at his watch. May 15th. 12:13. Wait May 15th? Suddenly, Ned’s texts from earlier makes sense. It’s May 15th. May 15th. The same May 15th Ben died. The day Peter lost his second father figure in less than a decade. 

“Hey! Earth to Pete!” Tony calls out. “You with me kid? What time is it?”

“It’s…uh a little after noon.” 

Tony nods his head. “Well, I’m almost done here. Give me about half an hour and then I’ll make us some lunch. Sound good?”

Morgan nods her head and Peter allows her to pull him back towards the house. Morgan rambles on about what she wants to do this afternoon. He tries to listens; he really does but his attention is elsewhere. How can he forget what today is? How can he do that to Ben? Ben loved him like he was his own son and just a couple of years after he died, Peter forgets about him. 

“Let’s watch The Incredibles!” Morgan says pulling him towards the living room. He’s basically on autopilot as he puts the movie on, sitting down next to Morgan on the couch. His eyes are on the screen, but he’s not watching the movie. He’s watching something else. Memories of Ben. Where Ben carried him into the apartment the night his parents were killed. The day they went to the Spark Expo. The day when he got his acceptance letter from MidTown Tech. The day Ben died. The day Ben died. Today. The day was one of the worst in his life and yet Peter forgot. How messed up is that? 

“Petey…You okay?” 

He turns to the young voice. Morgan is looking at him with caring his eyes. “You okay? Does your stomach hurt?” Morgan asks biting her lip nervously.

Peter wipes away the wetness in his eyes. “I’m just not feeling too great, Mor.”

Morgan bites her lip and whispers. “Is it your senses?”

Despite how wrecked he’s feeling; he can’t help but smile at the girl’s whispered concern. “I think I’m gonna go lie down. Are you okay out here until your dad comes back in? He should be coming in from the garage in a couple of minutes. Don’t get into any trouble without me.” 

Morgan smiles and crosses her heart with her tiny index finger. “I promise. I’ll be good, Petey.”

Peter knows that Morgan has been looking forward to their time together for weeks, but Peter can’t be the brother she wants right now. He feels even crappier for that right. And maybe he should. He forgot all about the day his uncle died. The person who he loved more than anything. He’s obviously crap at caring for other people.

Satisfied that Morgan is not going to get into any major trouble, Peter walks down the hallway towards his room where he can be alone and away from everyone, oblivious to the pair of sad eyes tracking him as he walks away. 

** XXXXX **

“Hey kiddos! What are you in the mood for? You Filet mignon? Lobster?” Tony calls out as he walks into the house. “Maybe both for you, Pete?” 

“Mac and cheese!’ Tony hears as he walks into the living room to see Morgan…and only Morgan.  “Pete in the bathroom?” 

Morgan shakes her head. “He’s in his room.” 

“In his room?” Tony asks. Peter almost never leaves Morgan alone to her devices. “You’re not making him dress up again as Cinderella again are you?”

Morgan shakes her head. “No, Daddy. And besides that was Princess Jasmine.”

Tony holds up his hands in apology. “Duly noted.”

Morgan’s attention is back on the tv as she says, “I don’t think he feels good.”

Worry fills Tony. Peter wouldn’t just leave Morgan alone for no reason. He must be feeling truly awful if he did. 

“I think he was crying,” Morgan says softly.

Crying. Forget worried, Tony is close to a full on panicking.

“I’m hungry,” Morgan says bringing her attention back to her father. Okay, one thing at a time. Let him get lunch started and then he’ll check on the kid. “How about fettuccine alfredo with something…green. Maybe peas.” 

“Peas?” Morgan says with a look of disgust.

“I need to get something green into you. Your mom is going to interrogate Peter about what we’ve been eating and you know he can’t lie for sh…sugar.”

“Can I help?” Morgan asks jumping up from the couch. 

“Of course, kid. Who else is going to help me blow up the kitchen,” Tony says walking towards the kitchen. Morgan’s hot on his heels. “Wait for me!” 

** XXXXX **

Peter lays curled up on his bed facing away from the door when he hears the door open. He hastily wipes away the snot and tears from his face with his sleeve. It’s probably Tony again. Tony has already knocked on his door once to see if he was okay. Peter muttered that he was okay and Tony said he would be back again to check on him later. So it's probably him.  He hears soft footsteps, too soft to be Tony’s so it’s must be Morgan. 

Sure enough he hears a soft “Petey…”

Not wanting her to see him like this, he huddles further into himself. She’s already been through so much in her short life. Sitting at her father’s bedside as he slowly recovered from his near fetal injuries. From the first time they met, Peter has made it clear that he’s one who Morgan will always be able to count on. That he will always be there for her. She doesn’t need to see him like this.

“Petey, Daddy made us manicotti for lunch.” He feels a tiny hand on his cheek. “Your favorite.”

He can’t help the sound his hungry stomach makes when he hears the mention of his favorite food. But he can’t bring himself to get up and ear. Here he is at Tony Stark’s home letting Mr. Spark make him lunch while Uncle Ben is gone.

“Not really hungry, Mor.” Peter mumbles into his pillow as his stomach protests his lie.

Morgan doesn’t take his rebuff lightly. “We can play Mario Kart.” He can sense her get even closer as she leans in close to his tear streaked face, “I’ll let you win.”

He can’t even smile at her boasting. He just wants to be alone. “Just gonna stay here for a while. Okay?” 

“Okay, Petey. Feel better.” Morgan says sadly as she turns around to leave. 

Add disappointing a four year to his list of failures, Peter thinks to himself as Morgan shuts the down behind her. 

** XXXXX  **

“He’s not coming?” Tony asks when he sees just Morgan come back into the kitchen.

Morgan shakes her head as she climbs up into a chair at the kitchen island. “I even told him you made him your favorite. ” She takes a bite of manicotti. “Told him I’ll let him win Mario Kart if we played.” 

Shit. Peter wasn't too receptive to him when he knocked on the kid's door earlier but he thought and hoped Morgan offering his favorite manicotti would fair better. That didn't even work.  Peter hates disappointing the kid. Whatever has the kid so worked up has a firm hold. Time to take out the big guns. 

“Eat up, Morguna. I have to make a phone call,” Tony says as he leaves the room. 

** XXXXX  **

The sound of his phone ringing jerks Peter out of the dark pervasive thoughts running through his head. He ignores it the first time, but whoever is calling him will not give up so easy. Two times. Three times. He has it in his hand and is about to throw it against the wall when he sees the caller Id. May. May. The only other person who will understand the significance of the day.

“May.” Peter cries into the phone 

_ Oh baby. _

“It’s…It’s…”  But Peter can’t bring himself to finish. May 15th. 

_I know, baby._

But then Peter gets angry. Why didn’t May call him? She knows what day it is. Does she not care about Ben anymore? 

“You didn’t call. You knew what today is and you didn’t call. Why?”

_ Peter…Pete. _

“Why didn’t you call. Did you forget too?”

_ Peter, baby listen to me.  _ _ I know you’re upset. But you have to listen to me, kiddo _

It takes a few moments but Peter is able to get his breathing under control. “I’m here, May.”

_ You know what today is but you have to listen to me. For you it’s been a couple of years. But honey, it’s been almost ten for me. The snap... You know how much I love your Uncle Ben…but the pain isn’t as raw for me as it is for you. I’ve have had five more May 15ths to work through. I didn’t think that I would be what you needed today. I know how much you look up to Tony and what Morgan means to you. I thought they would be the best ones to help you today  _

So he was right. His trip up to the lake house wasn’t about a week of fun. He was just wrong about the dual motives. It was not only to keep an eye on Morgan and Tony, but it was so that Tony and Morgan can be there for him. 

“But I forgot what today is,” Peter says brokenly into his phone. “Does that mean I care for Uncle Ben less because I have Tony, Morgan, and Pepper now?” 

_Baby, you know that’s not true. Does loving me and Ben_ _make your love of your parents any less meaningful? No…they would be so happy tha_ t _you have opened your heart to love more people. That you still love so fiercely even after all that’s happened to you_

Peter takes a deep breath. He feel like he can breathe again. Just a little. Maybe May is right. Ben wouldn’t be angry at him for forgetting what today is.

_ Feel btter, baby?  _

“Yeah a little, “ Peter says honestly  wiping his face.

_ Good now, take a few minutes wash your face. You have a freaked out Tony Stark and an anxious four year old waiting for you  _

Tony. Morgan. Oh man, he must have freaked them out.

“Crap. I scared them, huh?”

May lets out a chuckle. _Oh yeah._

Tony called me all frantic. Wouldn’t let me get a word in edgewise for a good three minutes 

“I should probably go then,” Peter says.

_ Take as much time as you need, baby. They will be there for you when you’re ready _

** XXXXX  **

“And then we can play Light Sabers,” Morgan says as she serves up tea to one of her many stuffed that’s set up around the coffee table for a tea party. The stuffed animals are joined by a large assortment of books and Legos that are scattered around the living room. Tony shutters at the mess in front of him. How the hell can one little person cause this much destruction? Where the hell did his kid get all this energy from. Another check in the nurture column, Peter definitely wore off on her. 

Peter. He looks down the hallway and towards the teenager’s room. How can he be so stupid? He know what today is. May 15th. The day the kid’s world was shattered once again. The anniversary of Ben Parker’s death was the driving force behind the idea of Peter staying with him and Morgan when Pepper was away. Granted, he knows that Pepper had alternatives motives but he was supposed to be there for the kid. But Tony failed him. He wasn’t and now the kid is holed up in his room refusing to leave, even for Morgan. 

“Do you think Peter will be sad the whole time he’s here?” Morgan asks as she pours tea in Waddles’ teacup.

“I don’t know, kiddo. He’s just really sad today. Something really sad happened to him on this day before you were born and he’s thinking about it.”

Morgan looks up at him, “I want to make him feel better.”

Tony runs a hand through her hair, “Me too, squirt. Me too. He just wants to be alone right now.”

Morgan turns back to her tea party. “Well, I’m going to give him a big hug when I see him. I think that will help.” 

Tony smiles. “I think Pete will like that.” 

"Think I’ll like what?” Tony looks to see Peter standing in the doorway. His face is swollen. Eyes bloodshot and puffy, but it’s still damn good to see Peter standing in front of him. 

Morgan launches herself at Peter wrapping his legs in a tight embrace. “This.” She looks up at him. “Are you feeling less sad now, Petey?”

Peter nods his head. “I’m getting there.” Looking around the messy room, he smiles. “So what are we playing?”

Tony gets up from his place by the coffee table. “How about clean up?”

Morgan laughs. “That’s funny, Daddy.” She turns back to Peter, “Can we work on the Disney castle?”

Peter nods his head. “Of course, maybe your dad will want to help?” 

“Sure,” Tony says as he sits down on the couch. “Just move them closer to the couch. My old knees can’t take sitting on this floor much longer.”

Tony smirks when he hears Peter mutter a wisecrack about his age under his breath. Morgan nods enthusiastically as she and Peter moves the Lego set closer to Tony. They get to work and soon make a good dent into the castle. Morgan’s energy reserve soon runs out and she falls asleep alongside the Lego creation with a lego still in hand. Peter and Tony stop because Morgan will kick both of their asses if they finish it without her. 

“How about we watch something that’s not animated?” Tony asks.

Peter agrees as he takes a seat alongside Tony on the couch. “Yes, please.” Much to Peter’s amusement and Tony’s chagrin they settle on Star Wars. They share movie trivia and Peter quotes way too many upcoming lines throughout the movie. It’s exactly what Peter needs. With Morgan still zonked out and the ending credits rolling, Peter says softly, “Today is May 15th.” 

Tony nods. He was waiting to see if Peter was going to say anything. Not wanting to press too hard, let Peter control the dialogue. 

“Uncle Ben died on this day….and I forgot.”

“Oh Pete,” Tony says. No wonder why the kid was such a mess. Tough enough that it’s the anniversary of Ben’s death but then to realize you inadvertently forgot the day, of course the kid would tear himself up. 

“Sorry about earlier. Leaving Morgan alone like that. I knew I shouldn't have left her but I just...had to be alone for awhile.,” Peter says looking down into his lap. 

Tony pulls the teenager to him, “Shhh. You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“Ben,” Peter says into Tony’s shirt.

“Knows you love him. Nothing is going to change that. Not time and not forgetting what today is. I promise that,” Tony says running his hand through the teenager’s curls.

“You think so?” Peter asks, hands playing with Tony’s shirt. 

“I do,” Tony says softly into Peter’s hair. “I never met him but I promise you that he’s looking down and is so proud of you. You’re an amazing kid. And I’m not just talking about you being Spider Man. I’m talking about you taking care of May and being a kick ass big brother to Morgan. Forgetting what today is, is not going to change that.” 

“And you’re the best lego builder.” Peter pulls away from Tony to see Morgan kneeling by the couch, looking up at him. 

“I am, huh?” Peter asks smiling.

“Uh huh. You do a much better job at putting the stickers on them than Happy and daddy,” Morgan says rubbing the last of sleep from her eyes. 

“I’m hurt,” Tony says clutching his heart. “My own kid betrays me like this.” 

Morgan’s not amused and ignores his shenanigans. “Do you know what would make you the bestest brother, Peter?”

“What?” Peter asks. 

“Icecream,” Morgan says with a smile.

“Icecream before dinner. Your mom is going to have a fit,” Peter says. 

“She doesn’t have to know,” Morgan says turning to her father. “Does she?” 

He runs his finger over his lip signaling his lips are sealed. “Who am I to get in the way of Pete being the bestest brother?”

Morgan laughs as she rushes to the kitchen, Tony and Peter walking behind her.


End file.
